grahamonica
134 posts
Mar 16, 2015
9:45 AM
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Hi everyone.
A couple of months back I asked for some suggestions relating to solo harp playing.
Here is my attempt at playing Muddy Water Blues by Paul Rodgers.
I recorded this today at home.
I,m playing a Suzuki manji in A,playing and singing through a microvox harmonica mic into a Roland micro cube RX with some reverb. Recorded on a Tascam Lr-10.
I,d like to know how to make it sound more interesting with regards to my playing (Too repetative??) I welcome all feedback, constructive criticism etc.
Thanks.
Last Edited by grahamonica on Mar 16, 2015 9:47 AM
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BronzeWailer
1621 posts
Mar 16, 2015
4:55 PM
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Hi Grahamonica: I liked your tone and your vocals. Appropriately mournful sounding.
I think you may have answered your own question. It's a great lick but could use some variations. I will tell you what I might do with this one. I would alternate a bit by going down to the 2 draw as you do and then up to the 4 draw. I would also hang on that 4-draw bend for a bit, then quickly skip down to the end of the lick. Or just play half the lick once the listener thinks they know what's coming. They will finish it off mentally. I would try starting on 6 blow, then 5 draw, 4 draw bend then the rest of the lick as it stands now.
Overall though I quite liked it. Thanks for posting. It's interesting to see what others are up to.
Cheers!
BronzeWailer's YouTube
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dougharps
884 posts
Mar 16, 2015
6:09 PM
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I liked it. The repetitive lick seemed appropriate somehow, and didn't bother me. Good job, good harp, good vocals.
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Doug S.
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GamblersHand
558 posts
Mar 17, 2015
12:40 AM
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Strong playing. Perhaps you could swing that phrase a bit more - it seemed a touch metronomic at times, with most of the notes the same length. Also to my taste, that roll-off and the end of the phrase should be used less often.
Especially impressed with the singing - it sounded natural and liked the (not overdone) melisma. I think you're a Brit too? If so you avoided the cliched blues voice/ accent.
With the right listening crowd that would go down well.
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MindTheGap
573 posts
Mar 17, 2015
12:56 AM
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I like this a lot, and particularly the repetitive nature of it. There's quite a lot of subtle variation in the expressive vocals and I think that goes well against the non-changing harmonica line. Because of the hypnotic nature of it, if you did slightly vary the harp line in small ways as suggested I bet that would be very effective too, as the variations would stand out.
I've a couple of technical questions. For the avoidance of doubt, these are not veiled criticisms, but genuine questions to help understand how to play solo harp/voice - which I think is challenging technically vs playing with accompaniment.
How did you keep such good time, especially on a slow piece? Is it your internal clock and if so did you have to develop it?
I wanted to try that riff, so I played along and found that I had to play the tonic note 2D quite a bit flat to be in tune with you. I checked it with a tuner. The singing and the harp seemed very well in tune together, and sound good. So is that intended, or do you have a special tuning?
I ask because my teacher said that it's something harp players have to watch out for - playing a shade flat and not noticing, then getting used to it an always playing a bit flat, even with a band.
Alternatively, it may be an important part of the style of mournful slow blues, in which case I'd like to know that.
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didjcripey
863 posts
Mar 17, 2015
2:05 AM
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I liked it. Repetition is good. Remember most people will be hearing it for the first time, so it takes a bit to become boring if the lick is good (which it is).
A little variation wouldn't hurt though.
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Lucky Lester
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grahamonica
136 posts
Mar 17, 2015
4:12 AM
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@BronzeWailer..thanks for your ideas and suggestions.I,m already trying what you suggested and am now varying the riff slightly each time I play it.....less boring I feel.
@Dougharps...Thank you
@GamblersHand...thanks also for your comments.." it seemed a touch metronomic at times" is exactly right,and i,m working on it.Also you,re spot on about me being a brit(Scottish)..howd you work that out?
@MindTheGap..Thank you..I simply keep time by tapping my foot..you can barely hear it on the recording...and its not something i,ve ever really worked on.I dont use special tuning, and having played the recording back I think you,re right about that 2 draw.Its not intended..just happens that way.Your teacher is right!
@didjcripey...Thank you...One of my biggest problems when trying this type of playing is coming up with ways of varying the licks to make it sound more interesting.Some players just seem to be able to do this more easily than others..I wish I could.
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GamblersHand
561 posts
Mar 18, 2015
11:05 AM
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@grahamonica - think I clocked that you were looking for a teacher in Scotland a year or so back.
If you're not fronting a band you should be
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kudzurunner
5347 posts
Mar 18, 2015
7:11 PM
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I think it's great. The vocals are very evocative. The only thing I notice that might be improved is that when you slide down to the 2 draw, just before you roll off it, it's slightly weaker than every other note you play. This is a common weakness; I've heard it from countless other players. The cure for this, if it's something you're interested in curing, is to focus on practicing sustained 2 draws, where you hit the note, hold it, make it loud, and add a slight vibrato.
I'm impressed by how cleanly you play the 4 draw, 5 draw, 6 blow part of the repeated lick. It's easy to miss one of those. But you never do.
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JInx
997 posts
Mar 18, 2015
8:59 PM
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Not bad. For me the harp lacks they dynamic subtitles of the vocals. Back off on the harp volume and you got somewhere to go with it.
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jpmcbride
80 posts
Mar 18, 2015
9:23 PM
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Love that riff. Great tone too
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Jim McBride
www.bottleoblues.com
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grahamonica
139 posts
Mar 19, 2015
6:02 AM
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Thank you all for the feedback and encouragement...I take everything on board,and will put it into practice.
Hopefully my next effort will show signs of improvement.
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mastercaster
136 posts
Mar 20, 2015
1:57 AM
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hmmm can't see the vid let alone listen ....
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